Locked Cafeteria Doors Boost Safety Levels at Hills West

Hills West seniors have been huffing and puffing over the recent locking of the cafeteria doors. Whats worse than walking a few extra steps to a different entrance in the brisk morning? Little do these seniors know, they are now a lot safer in their school environment. This “inconvenience” offers a whole new level of security to Hills West as a whole.

After multiple bomb threats throughout the district, many students have felt less secure in an environment they should have no fear in. The fact that the cafeteria doors are kept open throughout the entire school day plays a key role in the fear of many. “Anyone could just walk into our school if they wanted to. Seniors do it all the time when they come late to school” says Julia Weinstein, a senior at Hills West. Just a few weeks ago during 4th period lunch, a woman came through the cafeteria doors. With not a visitors pass or a staff lanyard on, many students sat in their lunch tables in fear. Lunch monitor Mrs. Josie approached the woman, who was now in the building. “I saw the woman come towards the building, but by the time I left the front of the cafeteria to go over to her, she was already inside the school” Josie notes. These open doors invite potentially harmful strangers into our school. It was evident that the caferia doors needed to be locked throughout the day. Limiting outsiders to one main entrance diminishes harm to Hills West. So remember, a few extra steps from the parking lot to the main entrance might seem inconvenient, but it is overall providing more safety to students and faculty.